Biographical Information: Brooks was originally from New Jersey. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and did her graduate work in political science at Michigan State. After graduating, she taught at Michigan State and Lansing Community College. In 1971 she moved to Minnesota. She worked for the State University Board, headed Senator McGovern's presidential campaign effort, and was director of majority research for the Senate. In 1976 she became an aide for Governor Rudy Perpich and was also the governor's representative to the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board. Subjects discussed: Background; role in Governor Perpich's administration in powerline issue; Governor Perpich's handling of the issues; Governor Wendell Anderson's administration in handling controversy; legislators vs. the governor on making decisions; legislative action taken; science court; protest movement; what it was like working for Governor Perpich; the media's role; and the usefulness of the public forum in environmental issues.
Biographical Information: Bradley was a professor of physics at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. He was involved in Coalition of Rural Environmental Groups. Subjects discussed: Background; involvement with Coalition of Rural Environmental Groups; 400+ line controversy; state agency involvement; need hearing; utilities and energy needs; Bradley's energy needs predictions; governor and state agency response to needs predictions report; health and safety factors; effect of controversy on people opposing the line; the role of the media.
Biographical Information: Berg was born and raised in Traverse County. He lived and operated a farm in Chokio, Stevens County. From 1973 through 1976 he served in the State Senate. Subjects discussed: Background; role in Senate and involvement with powerline controversy; Environmental Quality Council; eminent domain; legislation process; why powerline controversy began; 1973 siting law and the resulting problems; meeting with power companies and communicating potential problems; health and safety concerns; position over controversy as a politician; solutions to controversy; and concluding remarks.
Biographical Information: Barsness was a farmer from Cyrus, Pope County. She freelanced as a reporter on the powerline controversy for KMRS Radio and several newspapers in Pope County. Subjects discussed: Getting involved in the powerline controversy. Survey-conducting surveys; changes in second survey; results of; additional comments on. Working as a newsreporter. Darrell Mulroy incident. Runestone Electic Cooperative-trying to work with the co-op; members vs. board of directors; bylaws; reforming the structure; organizing special meeting; co-op as big business instead of representing the people; relationship to CPA. Relationship between CPA and UPA. Vandalism costs. Media-working with; overall handling of issue. Governor's involvement-role; working with him; science court. Opposition tactics. Impact of issue on self and people in the area. Issues for people in controversy-troopers; health and safety hazards; placement of towers; difficulty of communicating with utilities. Types of protesters and their issues. CPA and UPA impressions of the issues. Communicating with Bob Sheldon of CPA. Communicating with state officials and police. Working with opponents. Communication between protesters and utilities, governor, legislators. Turning points in protest.
Biographical Information: Barsness was a farmer from Cyrus, Pope County. She freelanced as a reporter on the powerline controversy for KMRS Radio and several newspapers in Pope County. Subjects discussed: Getting involved in the powerline controversy. Survey-conducting surveys; changes in second survey; results of; additional comments on. Working as a newsreporter. Darrell Mulroy incident. Runestone Electic Cooperative-trying to work with the co-op; members vs. board of directors; bylaws; reforming the structure; organizing special meeting; co-op as big business instead of representing the people; relationship to CPA. Relationship between CPA and UPA. Vandalism costs. Media-working with; overall handling of issue. Governor's involvement-role; working with him; science court. Opposition tactics. Impact of issue on self and people in the area. Issues for people in controversy-troopers; health and safety hazards; placement of towers; difficulty of communicating with utilities. Types of protesters and their issues. CPA and UPA impressions of the issues. Communicating with Bob Sheldon of CPA. Communicating with state officials and police. Working with opponents. Communication between protesters and utilities, governor, legislators. Turning points in protest.
Biographical Information: Banks earned a graduate degree in environmental health at the University of Minnesota. While earning his degree, he began working part-time for the power plant siting staff of the Environmental Quality Board. After obtaining his degree, he worked as a senior engineer and chief of the section of environmental health impact analysis for the Health Department. He was the author of the health study report on powerline construction. Banks went on to be a research fellow with the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. Subjects discussed: Background. Position and responsibilities at the Minnesota Dept. of Health. Involvement with project to study transmission line. CURE (Counties United for a Rural Environment) petition to Environmental Quality Board board. New York Public Service Commission and proceeding over health and safety aspects of two proposed 765 kilovolt AC lines. How health report was developed and its recommendations. Russian studies. AC line vs. DC line. Difficulty in proving health hazards. Role of the state in dealing with line. Possible ways for health dept. to do research on line. Usefulness of science court. How citizens can put pressure on state to bring action against powerline. Media impact. Issues regarding effectiveness of state agencies in responding to public concerns.
Biographical Information: Anderson was manager for Agralite Cooperative in Benson, Swift County. Subjects discussed: Role as manager for Agralite Cooperative; function and structure of Agralite as a cooperative; how cooperatives have planned for future power needs. Cooperative Power Association, United Power Association and the Cooperative-United project-involvement with Mid-Continent Area Power Pool; planning of plant; determining need for plant; communication problems between planners and farmers; controversy over Cooperative-United transmission line. CPA-board vs. representatives of cooperatives; public relations. Feasibility of building underground plant. Health and safety issues. Obtaining easements. Future impact of the powerline controversy.
Biographical Information: Anderson was President, board of directors of Cooperative Power Association. He was a farmer in Litchfield, Meeker County. Subjects discussed: Background. Impact of powerline on the area. Structure of Meeker Cooperative Light and CPA. Relationship of CPA with UPA. Mid-Continent Area Power Pool. Events leading to the Powerline project. Choice of a DC line vs. a AC line. Determining the need for more power. Opposition to the line-anticipating; reaction to; meeting with leaders. Financing the project. Vandalism and the subsequent costs. Effectiveness of hearing process. Being grandfathered out of siting process. Health and safety issues. Science court. Lawsuits. Use of security guards. Handling of controversy by the media. Government Accounting Office study. Future needs for energy. Impact of controversy on future powerlines. Mankato line. Establishment of and reaction to Rural Electrification Administration.
